Metal table top for drafting tables or the like



Dec. 26, 1950 A. s. MURRAY 5 7 METAL TABLE TOP FOR DRAFTING TABLES OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Aubrey 5. Murray (ma #1406; a];

A. s. MURRAY 2,535,593

METAL TABLE TOP FOR DRAFTING TABLES OR THE LIKE Dec. 26, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1949 Aubrey 5. Murray 40: 2am WWW EM??? Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'METAL TABLE TGPTORDRKFTING'TWBEES LIKE Aubreyl'S. Murray, Elizabethtcn,..Tenn.

Application" February 28, 1949,Serial N0. 782734 (U15311-e10fi) tiliaires. 1

This invention :relates to a metal table :top and more particularlyto aztop for a drafting table or the like.

Draftng tables of the type to which this invention relates are 1 conventionally provided with rectangular tops made from wood'anol are provided along one-longitudinal side edge with an instrument trough in which penci s, erasers, drafting and otherinstrumentsare hed within easy reach .of a user. While such .table tops-admirably serve their purpose, the-yare subjectto warping, swelling and shrinking with changes in atmospheric conditions so that-the executionof absolutely accurate workllbecomes diflicult when the 'time involved to complete thedrawing extends over a protracted period t of time.

"The primary obj ectlof this invention is to eliminate the swelling, shrinking and warping of a table 'top such as is used on a drafting table.

Another object is to equip a relatively thin tab e top such as a sheet metal top panel with reinforcing and stiffening members capable of holding the metal against bendingand at the Sametime to facil tate the use of afT-square or likeinstrumentagainst the end. edges of Lthe top "panel.

The above and "other objects maybe attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a flat rectangular sheet metal top panel, an integral flange at each -end edge of said top panel, said end flanges projecting downwardly from the top panel and lying-perpendicularly thereto, anintegral reinforcing and stiffening flange atthe lower edgeof each end flange, said reinforcing and *sti'ifening flanges fextending upwardly and inwardly and contacting the top panel in spaced paralel relation to its res ective and panel and: aIl-Ettadhil'lq flange :lintegral with :eadh "reinforc ng and stiffening flange, each .attaching flange dying nontiguous with-and being secured to :the underside er the top panel.

Other features include a side flange integral with and extending downwardly from one side edge of ithetop panel, said flange lying perpen- :dicul'ar :to :the top panel, upwardly and 'in- -wardly extending re nforcing and 'stifiening flange integralwiththe lower edge of the side lfl'ange, the Fedge oi the last named reinforcing andsti'fieninglflange remote from the side'iiange lying contiguous with the top panel in spaced :parallel relation to the side flange, an. attaching flange integral with the last mentioned reinforcing and stiffening :fi'an'ge and :said last I mentioned attaching flange being-attached 'tolthe topspanl.

Other features include :a trough flange lintegral with and projecting downwardly from the side edge of the topup'anel'opposite the-side flange, said troughflange Ilying' perpendicular to the top panel, ta trough bottom integral with the "trough flange, said trough bottom lying perpendicular to the trough flange 'on the side thereof remote fromthe top panel and a trough side flange integral with the trough ibottom and lying in spaced parallel relation to the trough rflange "to formdn conjunction with :the trough flange and the trough bottom instrument receiving trough.

Stillother features include corner blocks fixed tothe under side of the topipanelatithe-corners thereof sand :sengaging theifianges which. 3 oin the topipanel.

LII]. the drawings,

.IFigure I1 :is :a perspective View :of the under side of a tabletop :embodyingthe features of this invention,

:Figure 2 is'a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on-the line :2-"2 of Figure 1,

:Figure -3 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially on the :line -3- 3of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a plan -view'on at reduced. scale :of the developed blank from which this improved table top-is made,

Figure 15 is an enlarged perspective viewnf ion'e'type of corner blocklu'sed in the production of the-tabletop,

Figure dis a similar view of another type 50f :cornerblock used in ,producing this tabletop, and

T'Figure 7 a perspective view of one of the .trough'end closures.

Referring to the drawings in 'detail a table :top designated generally by J ll-comp'ri'se's a rectangu- .la'r top panel :I 2 which is preferably iformed of sheet metal for suitable thickness. Formed "inteerrally with the top panel I2 and extending along'each endledge'thereof :is an'end flange M 'whichlislbent'along' a'fold line I 6 toextenddovvn- "wardlyaand lie iinerpendicularly with relation :thertop panel I12. .Eaifihieifdlflange .114. has formed integrally itherewith Ja longitudin'aly extending reinforcing 'and'stiffening flange 18 whic'h i's bent upwardly and inwardly along a fold line "'20 so "that its edge remote from the flange I4 lies against the under side of the top panel I 2 "in spaced parallel relation to its respective end ilange W4. An attachingflange fi isformedintegrally "with each reinforcing and stiffening flange 3 along the edge thereof remote from its respective end flange I4 and each attaching flange 22 is bent along a fold line 24 which defines the outer edge of its respective reinforcing and stiffening flange It to lie against and parallel with the top panel [2. Each attaching flange 22 is secured to the under side of the top panel as by soldering or spot welding to securely hold the end flanges H3 in perpendicular relation to the top panel !2 and form a reinforcing and stiflening structur along each end thereof.

Formed integrally with one side edge of the top panel I2 is a side flange 26 which is bent along a fold line 28 to extend downwardly and lie perpendicularly to the top panel l2, and formed integrally with the side flange 26 on the side remote from the top panel I2 is a reinforcing and stiffening flange 3t which is bent along a fold line 32 to extend upwardly and inwardly so that its edge remote from the side flange 26 lies against the under side of the top panel l2 in spaced parallel relation to the side flange 26. An attaching flange 34 is formed integral with the reinforcing and stiffening flange and is bent along fold line 35 to lie against and in parallel relation to the under side of the top panel l2. This attaching flange 3 3 is secured in any suitable manner, as by solder o spot Welding to the under side of the top panel !2 to hold the side flange 26 perpendicular to the top panel.

Formed integrally with the top panel l2 along the side thereof remote from the side flange 26 is a trough flange 38 which is bent downwardly along fold line M! to lie perpendicularly to the top panel and cooperate with the side flange 26 and end flanges flat and against warping. A trough bottom 42 is formed integrally with the trough flange 38 and is bent along fold line 44% to extend perpendicularly from the trough flange 38 on the side thereof opposite the top panel I2. A trough side flange 46 is formed integrally with the trough bottom 32 and. is bent upwardly along fold line A8 to lie in spaced parallel relation to the trough flange 3-8. It will thus be seen that the trough flange 38, trough bottom 42 and trough side flange cooperate to form a substantially rectangular trough designated generally 51! which lies along one side edge of the table It).

An integral finishing flange 52 extends along the longitudinal side edge of the trough side flange 46 and is rolled inwardly as illustrated in Figure 3 to form a finishing bead. Opposite ends of the trough 5d are closed by end plates 54 which are notched as at 56 to accommodate the bead formed by the rolling of the flange 52.

Secured as by soldering or spot welding to the under side of the top panel 52 are the attachin flanges 58 of a pair of spaced parallel J- shaped stiffeners fill which extend beneaththe under side of the top panel 12 in spaced parallel relation to the end flanges Hi, and welded or otherwise secured to the stifleners intermediate the ends thereof is a mounting plate 62. This mounting plate 52 lies in spaced parallel relation beneath the top panel l2 and is formed at spaced intervals with openings 6 3 for the reception of mounting screws (not shown). In its preferred form the plate 62 has welded thereto on the side adjacent the top panel l2 suitable nuts 56, the threaded openings of which align with the openings 64-, and these nuts cooperate with the aforementioned mounting screw-s in securing the top it to a suitable support.

[4 to hold the top panel In the preferred form of the invention a corner block designated generally 68 is mounted on the underside of the top panel l2 between each end flange M and the instrument trough 5E! and each such block comprises a hollow rectangular body it carrying outwardly extending attaching flanges 12 which are spot welded or otherwise secured to the top panel l2. Similar corner blocks designated generally F4 are mounted as by attaching flanges 76 to the under side of the top panel H2 at the corners thereof remote from the trough 50 to lie against opposite ends of the side flange 26 and the ends of the endfianges i4 remote from the trough 59. These blocks 68 and M not only afford a suitable finish at the sides of the flanges M and 26, but serve as mountings for the pulleys of a conventional straight edge guiding cable such as is commonly employed on a drafting table.

In use the table top H3 is assembled substantially as illustrated in the drawings and may be connected to a pedestal or other suitable support by passing attaching screws through the support and the mounting plate 52 into the threaded openings of the nuts 65. Pulleys (not shown) may be mounted on the bottom faces of the corner blocks 68 and i4 and a conventional straight edge may be employed with the cables thereof being guided by the pulleys. The top face of the top panel i2 may be used in a conventional manner without an additional top sur face or any suitable top covering may be attached thereto in any suitable manner. Obviously owing to the reinforced construction of the end flanges M and of the side flange 26, warping or bending of the top panel I2 will be prevented, and the stiffeners til not only serve to hold the center portion of the table against bending or warping, but also serve to dampen any vibrations and hence deaden any sound that might result from striking the table It]. The use of the instrument trough is obvious and since the material employed for the production of the table top is not subject to shrinking and swelling with atmospheric changes it is manifest that work of extreme accuracy may be produced on the table.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A metal table top having a flat rectangular top panel, an integral end flange at each end edge of said top panel, an integral reinforcing and stiffening flange extending upwardly and inwardly and contacting the top panel in spaced parallel relation to its respective end flange, a pair of spaced parallel stiffeners fixed to the underside of the top panel and extending parallel to the end flanges and in spaced relation thereto, and an attaching plate fixed to the stiffeners and in spaced parallel relation to the top panel, said attaching plate adapted to be secured to the mounting means for support of the top.

2. A metal table top having a flat rectangular top panel, an integral end flange at each end edge of said top panel, an integral reinforcing and stiffening flange extending upwardly and inwardly and contacting the top panel in spaced parallel relation to its respective end flange, a pair of spaced parallel stifieners fixed to the underside of the top panel and extending parallel to the end flanges and in spaced relation thereto, said st fieners being of substantially V-shaped form having attaching flanges at the longitudinal edges of the stifieners for attachment to the underside of said top panel, and an attaching plate fixed to the vertices of said V-shaped stiffeners.

3. In a metal table top having a fiat rectangular top panel and end flanges, a mounting and stiffening means comprising a pair of spaced parallel stifieners fixed to the underside of said top panel and extending parallel to the end flanges and in spaced relation thereto, said stifieners being of substantially V-shaped form and having attaching flanges integrally formed at the longitudinal edges of the stiffeners for attachment to the underside of said top panel, and an attaching plate fixed to the vertices of said V-shaped stifieners.

AUBREY S. MURRAY.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 471,184 Milner Mar. 22, 1892 1,120,842 Ohnstrand Dec. 15, 1914 1,168,106 Ohnstrand Jan. 11, 1916 1,200,516 Ohnstrand Oct. 10, 1916 1,684,966 OCornor Sept. 18, 1928 1,871,884 Higgs Aug. 16, 1932 1,904,401 Berssenbrugge Apr. 18, 1933 1,914,646 Rand June 20, 1933 2,230,684 Hawpe Feb. 4, 1941 2,263,204 Clark Nov. 18, 1941 2,264,401 Page et a1. Dec. 2, 1941 2,272,078 Zalkind Feb. 3, 1942 2,444,183 Cahners June 29, 1948 2,485,643 Norquist Oct. 25, 1949 

